The introduction of legislative provisions aimed at countering abuse of administrative resources is a welcome development, which addresses a prior ODIHR recommendation.⁹ The new provisions of the Election Law are rather comprehensive and capture the essence of abuse of administrative resources described by the Venice Commission:

“Administrative resources are human, financial, material, in natura and other immaterial resources enjoyed by both incumbents and civil servants in elections, deriving from their control over public sector staff, finances and allocations, access to public facilities as well as resources enjoyed in the form of prestige or public presence that stem from their position as elected or public officers and which may turn into political endorsements or other forms of support.”¹⁰

⁹ Recommendation 1 of the final ODIHR report on the 2017 presidential election in Kyrgyz Republic.
¹⁰ Venice Commission, Report on the misuse of administrative resources during electoral processes, CDL-AD(2013)033, para 12.